A Tribute to Jan Brandenbarg, 5.24.1948 – 7.17.2019

Jan Brandenbarg was an organizational consultant, executive coach, facilitator, and close affiliate of the Birkman family who brought the power of The Birkman Method to his home market in the Netherlands. As one of Birkman’s first true overseas learning partners, he was certified as a Birkman Professional in 1991 and began implementing The Birkman Method throughout the Netherlands. In this capacity, Jan spearheaded the Dutch translation efforts of the instrument to provide approximately 150 independent Birkman Certified Professionals and consultants in the Netherlands with reports, application-based help, and advice.

As one of the most passionate advocates of The Birkman Method in the history of the company, Jan never missed a Birkman Conference, typically held in the United States, under any circumstance. He was honored at our most recent Birkman Conference in 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia by receiving the very first “Roger Birkman Memorial Award” for his extraordinary contribution to the Birkman community. Jan’s positive energy was contagious and welcoming. He will be deeply missed at our Birkman Conference in 2020, as well as in our ongoing operations around the world, but his impact is immortalized within the Birkman family and the strong footing of his work in the Netherlands.

Outside of Jan’s enormous Birkman footprint, we will remember him most fondly as a dearest friend of Dr. Roger Birkman, our founder. Together, they radiated positivity and inspiration that reached everyone they encountered through their passion for improving lives. With gratitude, we remember Jan for his remarkable influence on our global community. In his own words, when saying goodbye to his company, “Old sailors never die, they just fade away.”